Divergence Raises $11.8 Million in Series C Financing

St. Louis, MO (PRWEB) February 17, 2009

Biotechnology firm Divergence, Inc., a world leader in developing products for the control of parasites in agriculture and medicine, today announced that it has raised $ 11.8 million in a Series C financing round that will further its efforts to create solutions for one of the major causes of crop yield loss for farmers.

MidPoint Food and Ag Fund LP acted as lead investor in the round. Other institutional investors included Prolog Ventures LP and certain partners of William Blair & Co. The round included 41 returning investors including all members of Divergence's Board of Directors. The financing more than doubles the amount of equity capital raised by the company since its inception.

Proceeds from the financing will be used to advance Divergence's nematicide program. The company is developing molecules for the control of plant parasitic nematodes. Nematode control is the largest unsolved pest problem in agriculture limiting the yield of crops worldwide and causing billions of dollars in crop damage annually. Divergence has discovered the first novel mode of action for this market in more than 20 years. The new molecules feature human and environment safety profiles that are vastly superior to traditional nematicides. The funding will also support the Company's continued development of crops that are resistant to nematodes, as well as its innovative, broad-based research platforms Harvest, STEM and RNA interference.

"This financing, especially given the sophistication of the participating investors, provides further validation of Divergence's revolutionary technology and the rapid advancements of our projects in parasite control," said Derek K. Rapp, Chief Executive Officer of Divergence. "Through our internal programs and corporate alliances in crop protection and animal health, Divergence is committed to the development of parasite control products for higher yielding agriculture and healthier people and animals. Upon the completion of this financing, Ronald L. Meeusen, Ph.D., Partner of Midpoint Food & Ag Fund, LP, will join the Divergence Board of Directors. Dr. Meeusen brings to Divergence more than 25 years of corporate experience in agricultural biotechnology. "There is tremendous value in the cutting-edge science of Divergence," said Dr. Meeusen. "As the first company in our investment portfolio, Divergence exemplifies our goal to invest in companies that can enable environmentally sustainable agriculture and offer promise for human and animal wellness."

With the addition of Dr. Meeusen, the Board of Directors of Divergence stands at seven people - Stanford J. Goldblatt, Partner and Head of the Private Equity Practice at Winston & Strawn; James P. McCarter, M.D., Ph.D., President and Chief Scientific Officer of Divergence; John W. McCarter, Jr., President and CEO of the Field Museum in Chicago; Ronald L. Meeusen, Ph.D., Partner of MidPoint Food and Ag Fund, LP; Ilya B. Nykin, Managing Director of Prolog Ventures; Derek K. Rapp, Chief Executive Officer of Divergence; and Mark W. Wong, President and CEO of Agrivida, Inc.

About Divergence:

Divergence, Inc., a world leader in the application of genomics and informatics to agriculture and infectious disease, discovers and develops products for the safe and effective control of parasites. The company's initial focus is on parasitic nematodes, devastating unseen pests that cause billions of dollars in crop loss annually and widespread disease in humans and animals. For more information visit Divergence's Web site at http://www.divergence.com.

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Monster Leaf Bag and STA-BIL Mower Racing Series Promote Men's Health with "MOWvember"

Northbrook, IL (PRWEB) November 22, 2011

In support of the international Movember movement to raise funds for the Prostate Cancer Foundation and LIVESTRONG, the Lance Armstrong Foundation, the Monster Leaf Bag will join the STA-BIL Lawn and Garden Mower Racing Series to promote mens health by supporting the MOWvember Moustache Contest.

During November of each year, the Movember charitable movement is responsible for the sprouting of mustaches on thousands of mens faces across the US and around the world. With their moustaches, these men raise vital funds and awareness for mens health, specifically prostate cancer and other cancers that affect men.

With the support of its 20-year Title Sponsor STA-BIL Fuel Stabilizer the U.S. Lawn Mower Racing Association (USLMRA) announced its own MOWvember, and will support this international effort with an Official USLMRA Movember.com Fundraising Team and a USLMRA MOWvember Moustache Contest!

Were proud to be a promotional partner of the STA-BIL MOWvember program and provide Monster Leaf Bags to the winner of the Moustache Contest, said Damon DeHart of the Alda Group, LLC. Mens health is of crucial importance and its great to raise money for such a worthy cause and have some fun too.

The patented Monster Leaf Bag takes the headache out of spending more time emptying, then filling, those tiny collection bags that come with outdoor power equipment. It is a monster of a bag, with a laid out flat size of 6 ft. x 10 ft. and a collection volume of 24 cu. ft. The Monster Leaf Bag collects from four to ten times more volume than the small lawn bags that come with most outdoor power products.

Monster Leaf Bag can be used with five different outdoor power products; riding mowers including lawn tractors, commercial mowers including zero turn mowers, gas leaf blowers or electric leaf blowers converted to vacuum, wood chippers including leaf shredders and leaf mulchers as well as lawn vacuums.

It fits most brands of ride on mowers that have two or three grass bin collection systems already attached to the lawn tractor. The Monster Leaf Bag slips over the grass collection hood and replaces the grass catcher bins on Sears, Craftsman, John Deere, Toro, Husqvarna, MTD, Ariens, Cub Cadet and most other brands. Collecting six times more volume than two bin grass catchers per load means one stop instead of six stops to unload.

The Monster Leaf Bag is made of commercial grade 8-mil thick poly-tarp material. It is up to four times thicker than common blue poly-tarps and all seams are double stitched for strength. The slick surface glides over grass and the inverted cone shape allows easy emptying, installation and removal.

On Movember 1st, guys registered at Movember.com with a clean-shaven face. For the rest of the month, these men, known as Mo Bros, groom, trim and wax their way into the annals of fine moustachery. Supported by the women in their lives, Mo Sistas, Movember Mo Bros raise funds by seeking out sponsorship for their Mo-growing efforts. Mo Bros effectively become walking, talking billboards for the 30 days of November. Through their actions and words they raise awareness by prompting private and public conversation around the often-ignored issue of mens health. At the end of the month, Mo Bros and Mo Sistas celebrate by either throwing their own Movember party or attending one of the Gala Part

GrubHub.com Secures $2 Million in Series B Funding to Build the Largest Online Network of Delivery Restaurants and Improve Delivery Service

Chicago, IL (PRWEB) March 24, 2009

The Series B funding will enable the company to build the largest online network of restaurants that deliver, create new innovative products to enhance user experience and improve the quality of delivery service. GrubHub.com is currently operating in Chicago, IL., New York City, NY, San Francisco, CA, Boston, MA, and recently launched in Philadelphia, PA.

"Over the last year, GrubHub.com has successfully accelerated its sales growth in the top metro delivery markets." said Randy Rissman, Leo Capital managing partner. "This investment will allow GrubHub.com to continue to build the technology and business team required to expand its customer reach geographically and product wise."